Rotary hydrokinetic torque converter



March 10, 1953 Filed Jan. 8, 1949 E. E. wEMP 2,630,682

ROTARY HYDROKINETIC TORQUE CONVERTER 2 SI-{EETS--SHEET l /a 'S E5.

42 :T '70 7e? 'L 7/ '73 A ,l o um 6/ k WMS 419 i2 47 7 Il z k 43 4S s/ :5/ 2aJ 27 46 5 5 INVENTOR. Ernest E Wem/o By W-W L ATTORNEYS.

March 10, 1953 E. E. WEMP ROTARY RYDROKINETIC ToRQuE CONVERTER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1949 INVENTOR.

Ernes E Vl/@mp ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE ROTARY HYDROKINETIC TORQUE CONVERTER Application January 8, 1949, Serial No. 69,852

(Cl. Gli-54) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to hydro-kinetic torque converters and it has to do particularly with torque converters of the type which has a rotary torus chamber.

More particularly the invention is directed to improvements in a hydro-kinetic torque converter which embodies a, permanently sealed torus chamber where the diiferent parts are permanently connected together in their assembly, usually by` means of welding. It will be at onco appreciated that in an assembly of this kind diniculties are encountered where operating parts which may need servicing or other attention are disposed within the permanently sealed assembly.

The present invention aims to provide an improved construction in a hydro-kinetic torque converter which embodies such elements as the socalled pump or impeller, a rotor or driven member and a third element which serves as a stator. The stator must be so mounted and assembled that it may rotate in one direction only, so that when forces in the torus chamber tend to rotate the stator in the opposite direction it is held stationary. The invention accordingly provides a stator structure and a unidirectional coupling associated therewith, which is disposed so that it is accessible outside of the torus chamber. Also the arrangement is such that axial thrust on the stator may be met and overcome by thrust bearing means located outside the torus chamber. It is another aim of the invention to provide an improved arrangement for pumping and handling the hydraulic liquid so that the torus chamber is maintained full of liquid under some pressure and so that the liquid, which is usually a form of oil, may also be employed as a lubricating medium for some operating parts. Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the following detailed description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. The drawings show one form of construction made in accordance with the invention and in these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view with some parts cut away and some parts in section showing the hydro-kinetic torque converter, the torus chamber structure thereof, and the thrust bearing.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a one way coupling used in connection with the stator.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing structure positioned substantially at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1.'

The :converter illustrated is shown in connection with an internal combustion engine or part thereof, and the crankshaft of the engine is illustrated at I, and a bell housing which constitutes a part of the engine constructure is shown at 2. This housing may be formed integrally with a casing shown in part at 3, which may be employed for housing gearing such as reverse gears and the like. The casing may, at its lower portion, be closed to provide a sump 4 for the hydraulic medium or oil, while the bell housing 2, may have a removable closure 5, as its lower closure.

The driving part of the converter is attached to the crankshaft and may include a hub like portion 8, secured to the crankshaft by bolts 9 and a forward member fashioned from sheet metal and having a forward wall Ill suitably shaped as shown to provide an outer flange II. The forward wall l0 is preferably unbroken, the same having a central part I2. The metal of the forward wall is preferably fashioned to provide a recess formation I3 for purposes which will presently appear. This forward wall may be welded to the hub 8 as indicated at I4.

The torus chamber is formed by a rear wall member I1 welded to the ange II as at I8 with its inner part connected to a flange I9 of a hub 20. The hub 2U projects into a plate ZI which constitutes part of the housing and a suitable oil seal structure 22 is employed between the plate and the hub 26.

So much of the structure is driven directly by the crankshaft of the engine and constitutes the impeller or pump. Oppositely positioned from the wall Il is the rotor or driven member which has a wall 25 which may be reinforced by a plate 26 and which is secured to a hub element 2l splined or otherwise keyed as at 28 to a power output shaft St. The power output shaft is piloted in a bearing 3I located in the recess I3 in the forward plate I0.

The impeller is shown as having a core 32 with blades 33 positioned between the core and the wall il. The rotor is similarly formed with a core 35 and blades 3l between the core and the outer wall ZE. The stator has blades El mounted on a support or member il in turn mounted on a plate d2 which is secured to a sleeve t3. The blades Il@ have tabs 5S for securement to the support 4i. It will be seen that the torus chamber is comprised essentially of an outer wall constituted of the wall portion I'I, the wall 25, and the support or wall lll and the core pieces 32 and 36. These parts denne the oil iiow passages and the ilow is in the direction of the arrow as shown.

The stator blades d are positioned in the path of flow.

The sleevev :i3 is jo'urnalled on a bearing 45 which may be press-itted over the shaft 3s and particularly over the groove or splined portion thereof, so that a channel it is provided, and on a bearing 4l also tted on the 'output shaft 36. A bearing 48 is disposed between the sleeve 2l] and the sleeve 43, and the sleeve Sis groovedvor splined to provide an oil flow passage i9 under the 'bearing 48, which passage connects into the space D between the two sleeves. The space lSi between the shaft 3D and the sleeve t3 also provides an oil flow passage.

A pump for the hydraulic medium is preferably operated by the sleeve 20. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a pump member 54 is drivingly mounted on the end of the sleeve 2E as lat 55, while a second pump member is shown at 55. The member 2l, and anintermediate plate 5l Aare formed to provideapump chamber and as sho-wnin Fig. 3, the inletsijde is notshown while vthe outlet or high pressure sideisv the chambert. A suitable high pressure relief valve is illustrated at YEB (Figi).V

,The sleeve 43 extends through thebrear vwall of thehousing 2 and specically through the thickened portion @i bthereofandat the rear of the housing is a plateorringZ bolted or otherwise securedto the housing. Mounted on the outer end of the sleeve d3 and cooperating with the housingV 2 andtheplateg is a structure which 'constitutes a, thrust taking bearing and falso a one-way drivecoupling. Thisstructure includes ia ring 6d whichisisplinedor keyedto the sleeve d3 in abutting relationship with a shoulder t8 on the sleeve and whichabuts afinished surface at the rear end of the housing 2 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and a plate or ring 5 also splined or kkeyed to the sleeve and held positioned by a lool: or snap ring 65. Betweenthese, plates and keyed or splined to. the sleeveis the inner element t? cfa one-way drive coupiingas will be seen by reference 4to Fig., 2. ,The gone-way drive coupling is advantageously ofthe sprag type which includes Ja multiplicity ofcclosely associated spragsh (Fig. `2), .all of which are slightly cocked inthe same 4well known to those versed with the art and sufnceV it to say, considering Fig. 2, the inner memb er Glisffreeto rotate counterclockwise lin the direction indicated by the arrow, but cannot rotate rclockwise as the slightly'cocked sprags tend to straighten up to a radial position and perform a wedging or binding function.

i When the device is operating, the pump Ell- 5S maintains oil under pressure in the torus chamber. VThe oil is drawn from the sump i to the inlet side of the pump and is pumped from the high pressure side 59` through the passage i9 through the passage Eil and thence into the torus chamber through the passage i3V on one side of the plate l2 and through the clearance space between the stator and impeller as indicated by The pumped oil, in entering the torus chamber, flows in the direction of the movement of the oil or the hydraulic medium causedby operation of the impeller. The returning oil moves 4' through passage l5 between the stator lmember di and the turbine element through passage I6` and through the passage 46 under the bearing 45 Iand through passage 5l between the output shaft 3s and the sleeve 43. The sleeve :i3 has one or Vmore apertures therein which lead to a groove 32 and enea-ch side of the groove is preferably sealing ring 8|.

vAs will be appreciated by reference to Fig. 3, the hydraulic medium or oil is pumped from the high pressure chamber 59 of the pump through a metering port 83 in the plate `5l. Also it will be seen, thatoilrreturning from the torus chamber flows through a metering port 84 Where it is caused to lubricate the thrust surfaces and the one-way coupling. For this purpose the rear wall of the housing 2 may be provided with a recess 85 so that the oil may iow through and the ring (irl and ring 65 may be provided with flow passages 86 and the ring 62 maybe provided with anni newport e1 ist 'charme cunowsback `imo the sumpf'll. A passage' gli viiayb'eformedinthe wallZ to bei normally/"closed by a plug and a'pr'essuregage may be applied to ascertainthe intermediate pressure maintained by the pumpd-. In the 'operationoffthe torque converter the impeller of thetruschamber is caused torotate by the engineahd th'e'circuits "flowff the hydraulic 'rn'edium'is ysetup therein'as'indicated by the arrow ih Fig. 1. The purpose 'of pumping the hydraulic 'medium bythe pump.V 5dr-5S is to keep the torus chamber full offhyl diaulic mdium und'er'suitable pressure. TheI metering port 8 3 constitutes `a' pre'ssurereducerso that the hydraulic medium, which is pumped into Athe torus chamber, is so pumped undersuitable pressure and there is v'sonic 'iow 'of medium through the torus chamber as' previously described. Obviously, this maintains oil 'under pressure in the varea outside the torus chamber and between the wall member"25"an`d the frontV wall member lf3, The 'pumped "oil escapesv through the yI'Jlressfuref reducing `p'o'rtiV andthe oil thus flows overandlubricates the thrust bean ing surfaces and the vone-way drive coupling.. `Accordingly, three different pressure conditions exist, thefnormally high pressure in the-outlet; chamber 55 of theV pump, an intermediate ^pres-- sure in the toruschamberjand'a lowerpressure:

on theoutlet side of the reducer port Sli.

Further, in the operation of the torus cham ber, the stator is subjected vrto'aiial thrust inci dent to the action of thehydraulicy medium onthe blades itil thereof, the stat'o'r being'const'ituted'by theplate 42 and the sleevev 43.: The greater axialpressure on thestator occursl when theioperating conditions are such that thestatortends to rotate clockwisev as Fig. Zis` viewed. The stator cannot `thus, rotate and therefore itis' heldI at zero sp eed. Thisv thrust b n the stator is tothe right as Figf 3j is viewed" and the'thrust is met 'and' overcome inasmuch' 'as`r the sleeve "shoulder A E8 abuts the plate 84 and the forces are transmitted thro'ug'hthe'v member 6l Ato the plate iwhich abuts the inner flangeportion ofl the 'ring'E-Z. Thus there'is' a static condition vin thatY the stator is not rotating andthe plate'Z is'not'rotating and the thrust surfaces"abut each-otherf'without relative rotation. This arrangement accordingly minimizes wear of the thrust surfaces andin fact, substantially`` eliminates wearing -condition s. Unider'other 'conditions' in the'fto'rus 4chamber the stator 'is rotating and jthe thriist lleepn .dilen @C leas? in 50m? ,Consdlble measure; to the 'frictionalengageient'of thhydraulic medium with the blades 40. This thrust. which is to the left as Fig. 3 is viewed, is overcome through the means of the snap ring 66. Thrust forces are transmitted through plate 65, member 6l and plate V64 which thrusts against the end of the housing 2. At this time there is relative rotation between the thrust surface because the stator and the plate 64 are rotating and plate 6d engages the stationary surface of the housing. As mentioned above, this in a relatively light axial thrust and frictionally engaging the surfaces will suffice particularly as they are well lubricated as indicated and moreover if working parts ever need repair or replacement, or if the one-way coupling needs repair or replacement, these parts are freely accessible as they are entirely outside of the permanently Welded up torus chamber.

It will accordingly be observed that the unidirectional coupling constituted by the sprags 'l0 and the associated parts 61 and 62 is readily accessible from the exterior so that it may be easily attended to or serviced for any reason. Moreover, the thrust bearing plates are likewise accessible for attention or service.

I claim:

1. In a hydro-kinetic torque converter, a torus chamber for hydraulic medium including an impeller, a rotor and a stator, a pump operated by the impeller for pumping the hydraulic medium into the torus chamber, a flow system for conducting the hydraulic medium from the high pressure side of the pump to the torus chamber and from the torus chamber to a point of dis charge, first restricting port means positioned in the system between the high pressure side of the pump and the torus chamber for reducing the pressure of the pumped medium, second restricting port means in the system positioned between the torus chamber and the point of discharge, the said second restricting port means being more restricting than the first, whereby the torus chamber is maintained full of hydraulic medium at a relatively low pressure and one way coupling means and thrust bearing means for the stator positioned to receive the hydraulic medium after the same passes through the second restricting port means thus being lubricated thereby.

2. For a hydro-kinetic torque converter having a housing and rotor elements therein, a sleeve connected to one of the elements of the torque converter and extending through the housing so that one end thereof is exposed, an annular plate secured to the housing and having an internal circumferential surface spaced from the exposed end of the sleeve, unidirectional coupling means between the internal circumferential surface of the annular plate and the outer surface of the exposed end of the sleeve. a thrust ring within the annular plate located on one side of the unidirectional coupling means and arranged to thrust against the housing, a second thrust ring positioned on the opposite side of the unidirectional coupling means, said unidirectional coupling means having an element for holding the thrust rings separated, a thrust member fixed to the sleeve for engaging the outer face of the second ring, and a flange on the annular plate overlapping the second thrust ring and against which the second thrust ring is adapted to thrust.

3. The construction as recited in claim 2 characterized in that there is a pump for pumping hydraulic medium under pressure into the torque converter, means for discharging the hydraulic medium from the torque converter including a restricted discharge port for discharging hydraulic medium from the hydro-kinetic torque converter between the first mentioned thrust ring and the housing, said rst mentioned thrust ring having a port therein for the flow of the hydraulic medium therethrough and into the space between the thrust rings, said second thrust ring having a, port therethrough adjacent the thrust surfaces of said ring and the flange of the annular plate whereby the thrust surfaces and unidirectional coupling means are lubricated.

4. For a hydro-kinetic torque converter having a housing and rotor elements therein, a sleeve connected to one of the elements of the torque converter and extending through the housing so that one end thereof is accessible outside the housing, the housing having a part surrounding the exposed end of the sleeve and having an internal circumferential surface spaced from the external surface of said end of the sleeve; said end of the sleeve having a shoulder, a thrust washer positioned on the sleeve substantially against the shoulder and located to engage the housing, a second thrust washer spaced from the first and mounted on the sleeve, thrust means xed on the sleeve for engaging the outside face of the second washer, the housing part having a flange for engaging the outside face of the second washer, and unidirectional coupling means positioned between the washers and cooperating with the internal circumferential surface of the housing part and with the external surface of the sleeve and having parts for holding the thrust Washers separated.

ERNEST E. WENIP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,970,236 Kluge et al. Aug. 14, 1934 2,037,252 Martyrer et al Apr. 14, 1936 `2,074,346 Sinclair Mar. 23, 1937 2,100,191 Lapsley Nov. 23, 1937 2,128,828 Klepper Aug. 30, 1938 2,149,117 Dodge et al. Feb. 28, 1939 

